One Harry Potter legend looks completely unrecognisable away from the vaulted ceilings of Hogwarts, landing a new TV role as a Hollywood legend. Jason Isaacs, who many fans will know from his role as Lucius Malfoy in the fantasy series, is trying his hand at a period drama.
In a new ITV series, Jason will play British-born actor Cary Grant, who later fled to the States to pursue an acting career in the glitz and glam of Los Angeles. Entitled Archie, the series is a four-part drama of 60-minute episodes.
It follows the life of a young Archibald Alexander Leach, growing up in a poverty-stricken areas of Bristol in the early 20th century. Young Archie has to deal with the death of his older brother before he can make it in the bright lights of Hollywood.
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He later changed his name to Cary Grant, prompted by a contract he signed with Paramount back in 1931. Best known for films like Bringing Up Baby and To Catch a Thief, Grant’s legacy will be safe in the hands of Isaacs, who has starred in everything from Peter Pan to Star Trek over the years.
Grant died in 1986 at the ripe old age of 82, and the series has been filmed with the blessing of his daughter Jennifer and ex-wife Dyan Cannon.
Speaking of his new role, Isaacs wrote on X – formerly Twitter – that he “can’t wait”. He penned: “There was and only ever will be one Cary Grant. I can’t wait to play Archie Leach, though, who struggled to play Cary Grant himself. A fascinating, complicated, haunted man who was much, much more beautiful than me (thanks Twitter!) Here goes something.”
(Image: ITV)
New snaps show Jason donning a navy blue suit with a crisp white shirt underneath, along with a pair of midnight blue glasses. His salt and pepper hair is coiffed in a side parting – a far cry from the Malfoy patriarch’s long blonde tresses.
Fans have been reacting to the images on social media, with one writing: “Jason Isaacs makes for a rather uncanny Cary Grant in the promo shots for the upcoming Archie limited series on Britbox.” Someone else gushed: “You know what… that works for me!”
(Image: ITV)
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Another agreed: “Are you kidding me?!?! Jason Isaacs in a Cary Grant biopic?!?! SIGN ME UP.” While a fourth social media user gushed: “Aaaand Jason Isaacs has broken the internet AGAIN.”
The show – directed by BAFTA award winner Paul Andrew Williams – will premiere on ITV and Britbox in November 2023. Ted Lasso and Succession star Harriet Walter joins the cast as Elsie Leach, Cary’s mother, while younger versions of the actor will be played by Dainton Anderson, Calam Lynch and Oaklee Pendergast.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
